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Bulgaria

Bulgaria Driving Advice and Car Hire Info

Driving In Bulgaria
Roads are generally in a reasonable condition in and around the main cities but will deteriorate away from main urban centres . In my experience though, a 4WD isn’t generally needed for driving abroad in Bulgaria. Rockslides and landslides may be encountered on roads in mountainous areas and road conditions will deteriorate badly in winter. Loose animals and animal-drawn carts present road hazards throughout the country,and particular care should be taken driven on unlit roads at night. There have been reports of scams targetting motorists. Some criminals have been reported to impersonate traffic policemen and impose “fines” or even steal vehicles and personal belongings on major routes. Also around Varna, the tyres of parked cars have been deflated , then belongings have been stolen whilst the wheel is changed, so be on your guard if you return to the car and find you have a flat tyre. Driving style in Sofia can be aggressive and you should take particular care on a night at junctions with a flashing amber light which means no specified right of way. Cars may drive straight through these junctions. You should expect Heavy truck traffic along the two-lane routes from the Greek border at Kulata to Sofia and from the Turkish border at Kapitan Andre to Plovdiv , and driving standards from truck drivers are often poor so you should drive with caution.

Bulgaria Self Driving Rules –
Its generally ok to take the car into other mainland European countries and one way international rentals are often allowed –both will attract a charge. You may find there are restrictions on taking cars into certain countries. Albania seems to be seen as a particular risk and some companies may not allow you to drive into Macedonia.